


Fever Dreams

by Miles_to_Hastings



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akira is too stubborn for his own good, Fluff, Goro struggling with his feelings, M/M, Morgana is not impressed, Sickfic, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-01 02:49:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12147012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miles_to_Hastings/pseuds/Miles_to_Hastings
Summary: Running into Akira on the platform in Shibuya is a habit he's gotten well practiced at over the last few months. But this time the phantom thief seems rather off colour and somehow that ends up becoming Goro’s problem.





	1. Chapter 1

Running into Akira on the platform in Shibuya is a habit he's gotten well practiced at over the last few months. Even now that he doesn't have any particular cause to seek out the other boy like this - theory already proved and the motions of the plan to ensnare the leader of the Phantom Thieves set - Goro still finds himself wandering out of his way to make sure they cross paths. It can't hurt, putting on an extra show of friendliness can only help to lower Akira's guard around him more.

He tells himself that's the only reason and he almost believes it.

As expected, he spots the other boy easily enough, eyes quickly seeking out that familiar form in amongst the morning crowds. But something seems a little off today, a definite slump in Akira's posture as he leans heavily back against the wall. Once Goro gets closer he realises that his eyes are also closed, distinctly at odds with his usual attentiveness. Unbidden, worry curls in his stomach, speeding his steps as he makes his way along the platform.

From a few paces away he picks up Morgana's voice, another red flag considering that the cat creature knows not to draw attention in a crowded public space like this. 'It won't do us any good if you fall in front of a train.'

'I'm fine, Morgana.' Akira's mumble is almost inaudible amongst the background noise of the station, no doubt intentionally so.

'You're not fine!' The cat's frustration is quite obvious from the way the bag shakes, his shrill voice rising a little higher. It would seem that they've been having this argument for a while now. 'You can barely keep your eyes open and you've gone all pale!'

While it might be tempting to hang back and see just how long the two of them could go in circles over this his concern presses him forward. He feels far too uneasy at the thought that something is wrong. As if on cue Akira’s eyes finally open, not quite so oblivious to his surroundings after all, although the look he fixes Goro with isn’t quite as intent as he’s come to expect.

Trying to bury the blossoming worry, pretending he hadn’t just heard all of that, he aims for a disarming smile. ‘Good morning. You seem a little off colour today, are you feeling well?'

Although Akira has a well-practised poker face Goro has spent long enough watching him to have picked up some of his tells. Such as the way he reflexively rubs the back of his neck, a self-conscious tic he still seems to be unaware of harbouring.

But, before the inevitable evasion can materialise, there’s another rustle from the bag and then Morgana’s bright blue eyes appear over Akira's shoulder. ‘Of course he’s not!'

'Morgana.' His mouth presses into a line, clearly not liking any of this attention, and he quickly pushes the cat back out of sight. 'Stop fussing.'

This stubborn streak is nothing new. Goro's already well aware of it, having witnessed firsthand Akira's tendency to push himself harder than anyone else in the Metaverse. Admittedly he has a higher level of endurance than any of the other Thieves - barring Goro himself, that is - but still, he never seems to admit to any feelings of fatigue, even when he's clearly starting to get worn down. Of course the same carries over into reality.

But that’s still no excuse for the idiot to not take care of himself. After all, if he's seriously sick that could throw the timing of the entire plan. That's the only reason Goro's concerned, even if the sight of him makes his heart do _things_.

Wanting to distance himself from those dangerous thoughts, he takes a small step closer in order to gauge the symptoms for himself. On closer inspection the cat's right, Akira _does_ look pale. Paler than usual, even, the shadows under his eyes more pronounced as if he didn't even sleep at all last night. While it’s not yet flu season he doesn’t doubt Akira’s ability to be contrary and catch something anyway.

It's only when the other boy clears his throat awkwardly that Goro realises just how close he's ended up leaning in. Immediately he jerks back, very deliberately averting his eyes in favour of examining the wall and hoping the sudden heat in his cheeks isn't obvious.

'You sure _you’re_ okay, Akechi-kun?' That increasingly familiar smirk still manages to light up Akira's face, like he's the one in control here.

Honestly, the thought crosses his mind to just walk away then and there with nothing more than a ‘see you around’. Even now Akira is wrong-footing him, always managing to do just the right thing to keep him off-balance. But it’s really just another form of deflection and he’s hardly going to be so easily beaten.

‘Ah, it’s just a little hot in here today, wouldn’t you agree?'

For a moment that’s slightly too long Akira just looks at him, as if he’s not intending to offer any sort of answer. Or perhaps he’s simply trying to figure out whether it’s a trick question or not. Eventually, after some careful consideration, he shrugs, although the gesture is rather lacking in energy. ‘I suppose.'

Increasingly understanding Morgana’s frustration, Goro sighs, only kept from folding his arms by the fact that he’s holding his briefcase. This sort of stubbornness isn’t attractive in the least. ‘You really don’t seem well, Kurusu-kun. It’s irresponsible to be walking around like this when you’re ill, anything could happen.'

Right on cue, a train pulls into the platform and it’s clear that Akira sees it as his escape route, rather than as the liability Morgana warned of. ‘Not that I don’t appreciate the concern, but I’m going to be late if I don’t get going.'

Pushing away from the wall with some visible effort, he doesn’t even manage a single step before gravity seems to get the better of him. Pure instinct has Goro grabbing him, his reflexes keen enough to catch the other boy before he can keel over too far. Morgana gives an all too audible yowl of distress as he comes dangerously close to an abrupt meeting with the floor. Thankfully everyone else on the platform is suitably distracted scrambling on and off the newly-arrived train to notice anything out of the ordinary.

The first thing that strikes him is that Akira is lighter than he’d have expected, though it wouldn’t be entirely a surprise if he doesn’t feed himself properly. But any musing on that subject is quickly derailed by that faint aroma of coffee and the warmth of the body he’s cradling.

All too quickly Akira recovers himself enough to pull away, slightly steadier on his feet. There’s a definite flush to his face, from embarrassment and just maybe something else as well. ‘Sorry, head rush.'

That’s not even remotely convincing, _anyone_ could see through it. So Goro doesn’t even try to fight the urge to put a hand on Akira’s shoulder, knowing he needs to steady the idiot just in case he tries to pass out again. ‘No more arguments, I’m taking you home.'

Normally this is where he would be rewarded with some sort of flirtatious comment but instead Akira seems to deflate, finally willing to drop the act. Rather than trying to shake him off again he lets Goro steer him back in the direction of the barriers with nothing more than another quiet mumble about fussing.

He likes this unwell Akira a lot less than his usual self. Even if he is rather more cooperative than usual.

Navigating Shibuya station with his unwell companion in tow ends up not being quite as stressful as it could have been. Fortunately, nobody tries to accost him today and the platform for Yongen-Jaya isn’t quite as busy as some of the others. Goro is also quietly relieved that they don’t run into any of the other Thieves on the way, saving him the trouble of having to stop for an explanation. Even though most of them have undoubtedly warmed up to him, to at least some degree, he has a feeling that any of them would probably rather take Akira off his hands.

He tries not to think too hard about why he’d rather not pass off the responsibility off onto someone else, even when he has other things to be doing.

With fewer people heading out towards Yongen-Jaya at this time of day the carriage they end up in is relatively empty, allowing him to install Akira in a seat without any particular trouble. Although, he has to admit that he wouldn’t have entirely minded another opportunity to have Akira lean on him. It's the same as always, as soon as he gets a little closer to the other boy he finds it even harder to pull back again.

Rather than taking a seat himself, Goro takes hold of one of the handles overhead in order to stand watch over him. Resisting the temptation and giving himself a chance to clear his head again.

But then Akira's blinking up at him, frowning. 'You should sit.'

'I'm not the one in danger of fainting.' Ignoring the way his heart seems to speed up of its own volition, keeping up the neutral mask, he grips the handle a little tighter.

Undeterred, he pats the empty seat beside him, smile small but still all too disarming. 'Humour me.'

Goro has long since realised just how weak he is to that stupid smile, much as he might try to hide it. Although he's tried to numb himself to its impact with exposure it's only had the reverse effect. Really the only way to protect himself from Akira would be distance, though he supposes he'll have plenty of that in a matter of weeks. The very idea makes his skin prickle, a warning that he's already in too deep.

Still, he sighs and takes the seat without any further protest, ignoring the way he seems to end up with a leg pressed right up against his own through no effort on his part. It's so hard to say no to Akira, in no small part thanks to how infuriatingly stubborn he is. The very same stubbornness that has resulted in him walking around Tokyo when he looks about five seconds away from passing out. It shouldn't be half as endearing as it is.

Akira's eyes are closed before the train even starts to move, head resting back against the wall. It looks like he won't have to worry about keeping up a conversation at least. Though, just to be safe, Goro refrains from occupying himself with something more stimulating in favour of keeping an eye on his would-be patient. He does have to make sure he doesn't go slumping out of his seat or anything.

It's even more obvious that his breathing is uneven now that he's sitting down. The line of his throat is exposed, inviting ideas of pressing his lips to the pale skin. Thoughts that make Goro shift uncomfortably in his seat, struggling to push them to one side because it would be a bad idea to dwell on that even if Akira wasn’t ill right now. Instead he turns his focus to Akira's face, as if that won't cause him any problems.

He's already stared at him far more than he should, but he still rakes his eyes over the familiar sight with as much appreciation as ever. It's unfair just how attractive he is, even with the pallor of sickness. His hair seems a bit messier than usual too, not that it even does anything bad for him.

How Akira could ever argue that he was healthy right now is beyond him. What could've possibly possessed him to force himself out of bed this morning? It's probably only exacerbating his condition. Sometimes he can be so reckless...

On impulse, Goro reaches up to brush some of the hair back from his face, wondering what sort of temperature the other boy is running right now. Perhaps he should take off one of his gloves and check? Although he finds himself quite content just to stroke Akira’s hair for the time being, hoping that the gesture is soothing.

'It's a good thing he listened to you.'

The voice makes him flinch self-consciously, having entirely forgotten that Morgana was with them. Feeling distinctly guilty, Goro withdraws his hand, settling himself firmly back in his own seat. Of course, he was only checking to make sure Akira was still breathing and nobody can say otherwise.

Silently judgemental blue eyes stare up at him, the cat's head just barely poking out of the bag. ‘Until you showed up I was afraid I'd have to get Ryuji to bring him home.'

‘Welll then I’m glad to have been of service.'

He’s happy to let any attempt at conversation die out there, having managed to successfully avoid any one-on-one interaction with the monster cat before now. Besides, while it’s a lot less busy that some of the other trains the carriage they’re in is by no means empty. No doubt it would spread like wildfire if anyone saw him having a one-sided conversation with a random cat.

Though it was a good thing Morgana brought him back to his senses when he did, it’s too easy to start slipping when it comes to Akira. Getting involved like this was a mistake, Goro knows that, but he’s committed himself now. This all would’ve been easier if he just could’ve taken down the Thieves from a distance and never had to get this close. Close enough to see that stupid smile and those intense eyes that haunt both his dreams and waking thoughts. Close enough to care.

But Goro is better than that. He _can_ control his emotions, he's been doing it for years now. His plans - and all that he's done to further them - are more important than the fact that one boy is so damn good at drawing him in. Even if he does find himself enjoying his time with the Thieves - present circumstances notwithstanding - he has to remind himself of the real reason he's doing this.

But, as long as it doesn't get in the way, what's the harm in indulging his wants just a little bit? It's not like he could've just left Akira crumpled on the floor of a subway platform anyway. For the plan to work he needs him alive and well, after all.

Lost in his own thoughts, Goro only belatedly realises that the warmth against his side has increased, a head now resting firmly on his shoulder. He doesn't have long to dwell on it, fortunately, as the intercom duly announces their destination. Though that then gives way to the concern that Akira might actually be out for the count already. From what he's observed on the Sundays he's stopped by Leblanc the other boy is a pretty deep sleeper.

To his relief, it only ends up taking a small shake to rouse his companion. Still, Akira seems a bit sluggish, only detaching himself from Goro's side slowly. Judging by the slight frown his memory isn't quite up to speed either. It's rather cute; a thought he quickly squashes.

So perhaps he ends up being a little curt as he puts some more distance between the two of them, gesturing to the window. ‘This is our stop.'

Nodding, Akira takes hold of the railing and pulls himself to his feet. While the movement is a little unsteady his natural fluid grace balances it out and carries him through, even as the carriage shudders to a halt.

Bag tucked over his shoulder once again he steps off the train the moment the doors open without a backwards glance. As if it isn't debatable whether he should be walking on his own at all. Stupid, headstrong idiot. Even if he _is_ feverish that's no excuse.

Hurrying after him with a muttered curse, Goro catches up before he even reaches the bottom of the stairs. Rather than giving Akira the chance to even try to soldier on he pulls him back with a firm hand on his arm.

'You know what they say about pride coming before a fall.' It’s questionable how much that perfectly good argument sinks in, so he makes his point as simple as possible; ‘Let me help.'

‘ _Please_.' Morgana quietly urges, clearly not keen on the potential fall that could be in store for him.

'It's not that bad.' The protest isn't weak but it's not exactly strong either, in no small part undermined by the fact that he seems to have lost even more colour.

Not leaving any room for further protests, Goro quickly shepherds him onto the escalator, wishing he had a second hand free just to be on the safe side. Mercifully the Yongen-Jaya station is quiet enough right now that he doesn’t feel the weight of any stares, quite thankful for everyone else to mind their own business. Not that his focus ever particularly strays from the warm body at his side that seems to be wilting more with every passing moment.

Once out into the fresh air he sees as much as he feels Akira's shiver, a full-body shudder that seems to sap yet more energy out of him. Acutely aware of the way his companion could well have another collapsing spell at any moment, Goro takes the opportunity to slide an arm around him, taking some of his weight as an extra precaution. He’s sure there’s another quiet mumble about being fine but that doesn’t stop Akira leaning increasingly on him as they cover the short walk to the cafe.

Unsurprisingly there are no customers in Leblanc yet, just Sojiro sat on a stool and engrossed in the latest crossword. Of course, he looks up reflexively at the sound of the bell, eyebrows shooting up at the sight of his charge being half-carried through the door.

'What in the world?'

'Sorry for the intrusion, Kurusu-kun is really quite unwell.' His strained smile is a bit more like a grimace. Not that he really needs to say as much, it's rather obvious considering how Akira has continued to wilt.

While Sojiro gives a heavy sigh there's nothing of malice about it. 'I knew it. You'd better get him upstairs quick before anyone shows up.'

It's doubtful whether any customers will be through the doors any time soon but it's an easy excuse to skip the pleasantries and drag Akira upstairs. The sooner the sick idiot is lying down the better, even if Goro does rather enjoy being relied on like this.

The attic seems even barer without the usual meeting table in place, it looks less like a habitable room than usual. Goro doubts that the lack of proper heating or ventilation has done Akira's immune system any favours. At all. It's honestly impressive he's not come down with anything before this.

With a surprising burst of strength Akira slips out from his hold, apparently determined to stagger the last few feet to his bed on his own. It's equal parts admirable and irritating.

He's saved the need to criticise, though, as Morgana scrambles out of the bag, finally free to express his own displeasure properly. 'You really need to learn when to admit your limits, you know that?'

'If you say so.' For someone who all but fainted in a subway station not so long ago, Akira is surprisingly unconcerned, waving off the admonishment as he shrugs off his blazer. It's hard to tell how much of that can be blamed on the sickness, if any.

Morgana visibly bristles as he leaps up onto the bed beside him. 'I'm not letting you back up until you're better!'

This time the only response he gets is an absent sort of hum, Akira already occupied with removing his shoes. Somehow keeping himself from toppling over even though his balance still seems to be off. Honestly he's doing an impressive job, all things considered, making it all the clearer that Goro hasn't got much of an excuse to stay.

With Akira preoccupied - and feverish to boot - and Morgana busy fussing over him Goro could easily slip away without being missed. There’s really nothing more to be gained from lingering, it giving him no pleasure to see the other boy in this sort of state. There are better uses of his time, things that won’t make the warmth he feels when he thinks about Akira worse. But still his feet don’t move.

He stays rooted to the spot as he watches Akira pull off his turtleneck, finding himself presented with yet more incentive to stay. If anything he wishes he wasn’t on the other side of the room and better able to appreciate the expanse of skin suddenly on show. While it’s good to know that Akira still has the presence of mind to change out of his uniform his awareness can’t be that keen considering how he seems to have forgotten that anyone else is here.

Staring is uncalled for. If Goro was in his right mind he’d be respecting the other boy’s privacy and looking somewhere else, anywhere else. But he’s not and he drinks in the sight readily, fuel for his fantasies. It’s all he can do not to let out a sigh of disappointment when Akira all too quickly pulls on his night clothes and disappears under the duvet, uniform simply discarded in a pile at the side of the bed.

As if sensing that Morgana shoots a look at him and if cats had eyebrows Goro's sure he'd be raising his. To his own dismay, he feels the heat starting to creep back into his cheeks. Now would definitely be the time to leave, before that cat gets it into his head to start teasing him about this. Staying even this long was a bad idea.

But as he turns to all but bolt down the stairs he finds himself faced with Sojiro coming up. The glass of water and a bottle of what are presumably painkillers he’s carrying run rather counter to huffy overheard comments about having no responsibility if Akira ever makes himself ill. As if there were any doubt that the gruff exterior is little more than an act, when it comes to his charge at least.

He doesn't waste any time in heading over to check on the motionless lump under the duvet, carefully placing the supplies in easy reach. There’s a bit of muted conversation he doesn’t entirely catch, none of the usual barking that tends to characterise the way Sojiro talks to his charge. He’s not even trying to hide his concern, grimacing slightly when he walks back over to Goro.

'I've called Shujin to tell them he's not coming in today.’ Sojiro sighs again, something he seems to do an awful lot of. 'I'm going to close up for the day, just in case it's infectious. You should probably be getting back to school now.'

‘I'll watch him.' The words come out without him entirely thinking about it. Of course, it's the exact opposite of what he should be doing, there's nothing in it for him other than danger. But still he doesn't regret it.

Unlike with Morgana there's no mistaking the sceptical look Sojiro is giving him. 'I'm sure you've got more important things to be doing.'

'Not at all.' Rather than taking the out he only digs his heels in, giving his most winning smile. The more he thinks about it the less he likes the idea of leaving Akira to suffer through this on his own. It couldn't hurt to build a bit more trust, could it?

Really there's no reason for Sojiro to distrust him, after all, he's one of Leblanc's most regular customers these days. Still, for whatever reason, he hesitates, scratching the back of his neck as he seems to weigh up the options.

Not ready to take no for an answer, Goro is quick to improve his case with an extra push. 'It really wouldn't be any trouble. Besides, if it's contagious I'm sure you wouldn't want to pass it on to Futaba-chan.'

His intuition was on the mark, Sojiro can't argue with that. Given all that time cooped up in her room Futaba can't have the strongest immune system so it only makes sense to keep any potential viruses away from her. And as leaving Akira on his own like this is out of the question...

'Alright.’ Still, Sojiro doesn't sound overly thrilled by the idea. 'But you call me if he gets any worse. Or when you need to go. And make sure he drinks plenty of water. And don’t let him go wandering off again.'

It's quite the barrage of orders but it's all the sort of thing that he could've easily figured out on his own. Though Goro knows it's best just to agree. 'Of course.'

That seems to placate him at least somewhat, Sojiro nodding brusquely. With one last glance in the direction of the bed he heads back downstairs, only to pause halfway down and call;

'Oh, and help yourself to anything in the fridge if you get hungry.'

'Thank you.' While he doubts he'll need it Goro appreciates the offer. It's a shame he won't be able to get any coffee, though, considering how his barista is currently in a state of dubious consciousness. 'He'll be in safe hands.'

That earns him another nod, even something close to a smile, as Sojiro goes to shut up shop for the day. Even though Leblanc tends not to get more than a handful of customers on any given day he still wonders if the man might be doing it more for Akira’s benefit than anything, giving him some extra peace to rest up.

Morgana, meanwhile, is busy kneading his paws on what he assumes must be Akira's shoulder, although it's hard to tell when the boy's curled up and completely covered by the duvet. 'Come on, you need to take some medicine.'

The bundle of duvet makes an indistinct groaning noise, seeming to curl even tighter in on itself. It’s not hard to guess that the two of them must have a similar sort of argument on a regular basis. Clearly, Akira is used to ignoring the pawing.

But this time Morgana has a point and he really does need to take the painkillers, for his own good. So, feeling the need to make himself useful and justify his continued presence, Goro finally abandons his position by the stairs.

Taking a tentative seat on the edge of the bed, keeping a respectful amount of distance from the lump under the bedding, he only narrowly resists the urge to try giving him a shake of his own. ‘You’ll feel better once you’ve taken it.'

Akira's response is muffled, making it hard to tell if he just cursed or not, but all the same he sluggishly emerges from his cocoon and sits up nonetheless. Somehow he looks even iller now, hair even more unruly than usual and eyes less focused than Goro has ever seen. It’s strangely intimate, seeing him in such an unguarded way.

Now that he's actually sat up Akira complies easily enough, accepting the glass of water that he passes him with a vague noise of gratitude. Safe in the knowledge that he’s clearly still a little out of it Goro finds his eyes drawn to Akira’s throat as he swallows. Another guilty moment to store away for when he’s alone.

Energy apparently exhausted by that simple action Akira hands him back the glass - fingers brushing against his - and sinks back down into the mattress. This time at least he doesn’t pull the duvet up over his head, instead keeping an eye open to watch Goro with an echo of his usual alertness. 'You really don't have to stay.'

Even if he hadn’t promised Sojiro that he would Goro is already long past the point of listening to his common sense and leaving like he probably should. So he smiles, cocking his head in a show of innocence. ‘And what sort of teammate would I be if I abandoned you now?'

Even feverish and half-asleep Akira still manages to give him one of those piercing looks that sets his nerves on edge. Looks like that make it hard to tell if Akira either trusts him too much or not at all. Or maybe it’s just the fever.

For a long moment he thinks that’s all the answer he’s going to get, until Akira closes his eyes and breathes; ‘Thanks.'

It’s quiet but, in the near-total silence of the room, Goro hears it clear enough. All at once it makes him feel warm even as his stomach twists with something unpleasant. He doesn’t deserve thanks, not from this boy he’s destined to kill.

No matter what he feels or wants that is what is going to happen. Too much depends on it now. If he knew what was good for him this is where Goro would get up and leave, walk away before he ends up making this whole thing even harder for himself. Akira’s breathing has already started to even out, he wouldn’t even miss him.

So, naturally, he leaves his perch on the bed only to grab a nearby chair, pulling it up next to the bed and sitting right back down.

Rather than spend however long simply staring at his patient, tempting as that might be, Goro pulls out his phone in order to distract himself. No missed calls yet; he switches it to silent just to be on the safe side and avoid disturbing Akira's sleep. Sleep which already seems troubled enough judging by the way he shifts restlessly as the illness continues to work its way through his system, groaning lowly.

This is going to be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was only meant to be a one-shot but then it ended up running away with me. ^^;
> 
> And I might have already started working on a separate plot bunny *cough*or three*cough* but I'm entirely too invested in these boys and giving them a chance to be happy.
> 
> (Still not sure why I decided to make things harder for myself by making Goro the pov character for my first attempt at writing this pairing but oh well)


	2. Chapter 2

Halfway through his third article on fever treatment, Goro hears the message tone of Akira’s phone. Of course the unwell idiot hadn’t thought to turn it off before climbing into bed, though all things considered he can hardly blame him this once. And, characteristically, the first message is only the start of a barrage. Apparently it hadn’t taken long for the rest of the Thieves to get wind of the situation after all.

Something that’s only confirmed by the way his own phone has started to light up with notifications. It might be more admirable - the way they all clearly care about their leader so much - if it weren’t for the fact that this really isn’t going to help Akira’s already fitful sleep.

It isn’t hard to pinpoint the general location of the offending phone, although it’s still enough to give Goro momentary pause. At least the trousers are at the top of the messy pile of discarded uniform, small mercy as it may be. Steeling himself, he digs it out and turns the volume right down easily enough, but…

He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t curious about what might be on the phone, of course. Maybe all of the Thieves’ old chats are still sitting in its memory. It could have all the incriminating evidence he’d ever need and more. And… well, it could be a good peek into the other boy’s workings.

Of course it’s locked, the background purposely generic, but still...

‘You should probably tell them to stop worrying before Ryuji decides to cut class and come looking for him.’ Although he’s still curled up on top of the duvet, Morgana has his eyes trained on the phone that’s incriminatingly lit up in his hand.

‘Ah, of course...'

He promptly sets Akira's phone by the side of the bed as if that was his intention all along. It was a mistake to even consider the idea when that damn watchful cat is still in the room. Goro definitely doesn’t need to be giving any of them fresh reason to distrust him, no matter how curious he might be.

Pulling his own phone back out, he belatedly opens up the latest chat which, needless to say, has been moving along at a fairly rapid pace.

While he’s only been with them for a short while it hadn’t taken Goro long to learn that the Thieves have a bad habit of texting during class. Well, to be fair, Makoto is usually quick to step in but it’s enough to make him despair of them a little. Akira at least doesn’t seem to get involved so much - but then again his messages tend to be few and far between in their group chats as a rule.

Not feeling any particular need to go into detail, he types out a quick enough message, just enough to establish that nothing untoward has happened to their leader.

_He seems to have come down with some sort of fever. Morgana and I are looking after him._

Naturally, that only pauses the flow of messages for a few seconds before the inevitable questions start to fly. All so concerned… Goro isn’t sure quite what it is about Akira that seems to inspire such fierce attachment from others, though he wishes it hadn’t somehow managed to ensnare him as well. 

Attempting to better assuage their concerns, he quickly assures them that it isn’t anything some proper rest can't cure. No reason to be unduly worried, Akira must’ve just been working himself too hard. That should hopefully be enough that he won’t have to worry about the rest of the Thieves until school finishes for the day, at least.

Reassuringly, there’s only one or two new chat notifications as Goro flicks back to the browser. If he can help to speed along Akira’s recovery then so much the better. Purely for the sake of getting things back on track, of course.

Rest, and lots of it, seems to be the most commonly prescribed treatment. That shouldn’t be too much trouble now that he’s gotten Akira into bed. If it came to it Goro is pretty confident that he could keep him from wandering around again. It’s not as if the other boy would even have the energy to get more than a few steps, maximum, anyway.

Making sure that Akira stays hydrated might be a little harder, considering that it rather requires him to be awake again. And, honestly, Goro isn’t sure when that might end up being. He’ll just have to be on the alert and have a full glass at the ready. Getting the drink down him may pose a bit of a challenge but they can tackle that when they get to it.

While the article recommends lowering the temperature of the room that isn’t something he needs to bother with, considering how bad the insulation up here seems to be. He also decides to very deliberately ignore the suggestion of a sponge bath. All he really needs to do is make sure that Akira’s temperature doesn’t go up and reduce his discomfort while his system deals with whatever’s wrong. Simple.

Happy to say that he’s exhausted that avenue of research Goro concludes that his time would probably be better passed with some proper reading. Fortunately, he has a book stashed in his case, a precaution against any wasted train journeys. Luck is also on his side considering that he’s still near the beginning of this one, meaning he’s unlikely to run out of reading material even if Akira does remain asleep for the rest of the day.

Still, he swears that the floorboards have never creaked this much whenever he’s been up here before. Perhaps it would be an idea to remove his shoes, it’s not as if anyone can really object to him making himself a little more at home in these circumstances.

There’s something strange about tiptoeing around like this, he’s gotten so used to living alone, but it’s not unpleasant. If he’s honest with himself it’s this sort of quiet companionship that he’s craved for so many years now.

Of course, as soon as he turns back to the chair it becomes clear that he wasn’t quite quiet enough.

Akira's eyes are fixed on him, frowning again in a way that suggests that the short sleep has only worsened his disorientation. ‘So you weren't a dream, huh?'

Does that mean he appears in Akira's dreams regularly? He tries not to dwell on the thought, because that's too much of a rabbit hole to be going down now. _Especially_ right now.

Shaking his head, Goro sits back down. 'No, I'm very real.'

The hum of response quickly becomes more of a groan, Akira’s eyes fluttering shut as his expression twists into a grimace.

Clearly the medicine hasn't done enough. Akira still looks thoroughly miserable and Goro wishes that the sick idiot had managed to stay asleep a little longer for his own sake. Ridiculous that someone who normally seems so prone to sleep suddenly can't when it would actually be most beneficial.

Though, that could simply be a sign that his condition is already deteriorating.... Goro still feels immensely underprepared for this. He's been careful enough to have avoided getting anything worse than a cold himself since he started living on his own so he really has no experience dealing with sickness. It doesn't help that his judgement feels distinctly clouded when it comes to dealing with Akira.

Lacking any other immediate options, he tugs a glove off and sets a hand against the patient's forehead. Admittedly it's a pretty terrible way to gauge someone's temperature but right now it's all he has. And yes, Akira is definitely running hotter than he should be.

He can only imagine how much worse it must feel from the inside, wincing in sympathy. 'You're burning up.'

Surprisingly that makes Akira's lips quirk up in a small smile. It's probably the closest he can get to a smirk in his current condition but it ends up looking rather softer. 'Couldn't have guessed.'

Hand absently moving to stroke his unruly hair, pleased with the way that the touch seems to relax him, Goro asks; 'Feeling worse?'

That gets him another unhappy noise, though Akira is kind enough to elaborate a bit more; 'Everything aches.'

It's refreshingly honest, so unguarded and open. He could get used to this. Not the part where he’s having to look after a sick Akira, of course, but the feeling that neither of them is having to put up their walls.

Unfortunately there's not much more he can really do to help Akira feel better. At the end of the day, this is just something his system has to deal with on its own.

Well, actually that's not entirely true.

'I'm going to get you some more water.' He might as well take advantage of this window of wakefulness, after all, picking up the empty glass. As an afterthought, Goro glances over his shoulder and warns, only half-jokingly; 'Don't go anywhere.'

'Wouldn't dream of it.' Akira is still watching him, surprisingly alert in spite of his feverishness. Almost as if he's expecting him not to come back.

Subconsciously, Goro speeds his steps a little, feeling as if he shouldn't waste any time. He doesn't much like the idea of letting Akira out of his sight for long either. And it’s only partly because he doesn’t entirely trust the idiot not to try getting out of bed again.

Leblanc itself is completely still, the coffee brewers unlit and the TV dark. He hadn’t realised how much background noise there must have always been before. Particles of dust circle in the few sunbeams that manage to make their way inside, adding to the general shabby feel of the place. Still, the cafe feels more like a home than he wants to admit.

Not that he’d ever want to live in it. Especially not considering the lack of proper insulation upstairs.

Checking the temperature of the water first - even though he doubts Akira would actually complain about it - he refills the glass. The kitchen area smells strongly of curry - there’s a whole pot of it sitting covered on the cold stove - Goro idly wonders how long it’ll take him to get the scent of it off him.

Knowing that, with his current luck, Akira will probably have fallen asleep again by now, he shoots a quick glance at the door just to be sure that the sign is flipped. Of course, that probably won’t be enough to deter any of the other Thieves if they get any ideas about taking over from him once school is done for the day. Several of the stairs creak on his way back up, though he supposes that’s inevitable given the age of the building.

To his surprise the other boy hasn’t moved at all since he left, still as awake as he really shouldn’t be. Still watching him. Though, rather more frustratingly, Akira also seem to have any intention of sitting up, even when it’s obvious that he can’t exactly drink while he's lying down.

‘Don’t make me pour this over you.'

The threat isn’t overly effective, judging from Akira’s faint smirk; 'That doesn't sound so bad.'

Still, he does make the effort to start trying to push himself back up again. It seems to cost him more than it should, though, what little colour had returned to his skin draining back out. Definitely getting worse.

Without thinking about it Goro reaches out to steady him, sliding back onto the bed. Regardless of what he'd said he would really rather not get water all over the sheets. Akira sags into him, instinctively understanding that he needs the support.

Not entirely trusting Akira not to spill it, he keeps hold of the glass even as the other boy goes to take it. Instead Goro guides it up to his lips, making sure he takes steady sips.

The fact that Akira doesn't even try to reject the help speaks volumes. As does the fact that he shows no real intention of trying to go anywhere. Rather, he only seems to snuggle closer once he's finished drinking, head finding its way back onto Goro's shoulder with a vaguely contented noise.

It's kind of adorable.

That said, Goro has no intention of becoming a replacement pillow. The chair is much more comfortable - relatively speaking, that is - and snuggling up with a sick Akira is only really asking for trouble. He still smells good in spite of it all, that distinct aroma of coffee and something slightly flowery...

So with as much delicacy as possible Goro tries to disentangle himself, attempting to slide off the bed with minimal fuss. Hoping not to tip either Akira or the quietly watchful Morgana off to his slight predicament in the process. Which is much easier said than done, especially when a surprisingly strong hand latches onto his arm.

'Stay.'

Akira's eyes are pleading, openly so. A show of vulnerability that would've seemed unprecedented not so long ago. As if the idea of him leaving is truly awful. It must be the fever talking, of course it must.

But even as he tells himself that it isn't enough to stop the warmth it ignites in his veins. Akira wants him here.

Lacking any proper way to respond to that, brain temporarily stalled, he stares at the wooden beams overhead and mumbles; 'You should go back to sleep.'

It takes a moment but then Akira huffs, letting him go and turning to face the wall instead. 'You sound just like Morgana.'

It feels as if he's failed some sort of test, disappointment running cold through his veins. But really he doubts that Akira will be able to remember this once he's feeling better. Even if he did he'd probably be mortified and never want to mention it again. Which would be for the best.

They should all forget about this after today.

At least with Akira's back to him Goro has no problem returning to the chair, taking the opportunity to readjust himself. He should've known better than to get that close. It's not like he has the excuse of being too sick to account for his own actions.

Still, unable to dislodge the uneasy feeling that's settled in the pit of his stomach, Goro can't help wanting to correct the failure. So, just to offer extra reassurance that he isn’t planning on going anywhere soon he slips off his shoes, setting them deliberately to one side. There, no running away. Not literally at least.

Not that Akira is any the wiser, showing not the slightest sign of turning back over. He's too still to be asleep, given the fitful state he was in earlier, but right now he seems to have no further intention of paying attention to Goro.

Only narrowly holding in a sigh, he glances at his phone to check the time. It's been less than an hour since he last looked. It feels more like an eternity.

Having nothing better to do he finds his bookmark, starting the next chapter. Or trying to. His eyes skim over the lines of text but once he reaches the end of the page his understanding of the plot hasn't progressed at all.

Although he tries it again his focus keeps straying off the page and back to the boy on the bed instead. Akira is still determinedly facing the wall, body tensed in a way that gives away the fact that he’s awake. That bothers him far more than it should.

-

His disquiet only ends up growing from there, Goro almost starts to miss watching Akira's too-still back as his sleep gets increasingly agitated. Really he dreads to think how much worse it could’ve been if he hadn’t intervened and brought him back here when he did. At least _now_ the idiot can’t well argue that he’s anything less than sick. Not that he can argue at all in his current state, though.

Morgana, meanwhile, isn't bothering to make any secret of his own fretting, pacing back and forth along the windowsill for want of anything better to do. The only ailments he's ever had to deal with have all been easily fixed with use of his Persona. It's clear that his inability to help now is seriously bothering him. 'He's getting worse.'

'It has to get worse before it gets better.' At least that's what Goro has been telling himself to quiet his own worry. He's pretty sure he's read something to that effect.

'But when does it _stop_ getting worse?' Clearly not expecting a satisfactory answer, Morgana grumbles on; 'I knew he should've stayed in bed from the start.'

It’s hard to disagree with the sentiment, although if Akira hadn’t been stubborn enough to make it all the way to Shibuya then Goro wouldn’t have gotten involved. And, much as it might've been a bad idea to agree to this, he doesn't like the thought of the boy only having the cat to try and take care of him. Especially considering that Morgana hadn’t even been able to keep him in bed at first.

But then he _whimpers_ , the noise small but unmistakable.

Before he even has a chance to consider what he's doing, Goro's hand instinctively shoots out to grip Akira's. He keeps compounding his initial mistake but, at this stage, he might as well keep on following through. Admittedly it’s not much in the way of help, it’s not as if moral support even really counts when the other person is sick and not even aware of it. But the hand in his is warm and he squeezes it for want of any better ideas.

Really none of this should bother him. It’s not even that bad, it’s not as if the boy's _dying_. And even that shouldn’t give him any pause, not when he’s going to put a gun to Akira’s head himself soon enough.

Still, he needs the phantom thief up and well enough to get to the end of Sae’s Palace and take the fall from there. So that’s all this is; Goro being pragmatic and doing what he can to make sure that things continue to run as smoothly as possible.

Unable to ignore the knots that his stomach is tying itself into any longer, he decides that this might well be as good a moment as any to try getting another dose of medicine in Akira. While it might be kinder to simply let him sleep through it Goro can’t help wondering whether this fitful sleep is actually doing him much good.

So he puts a little extra pressure on Akira's hand, hoping that's enough to coax him out of it. ‘Kurusu, come on, wake up.'

But, bad sleep or not, Akira is still not the sort to be woken easily. Instead, he groans and tries to turn away, curling tighter in on himself and mumbling some sort of incoherent protest. Still refusing to make things easier for them both.

Growling, Goro reaches for his shoulder, refusing to be faced with Akira's back again, and allows his voice to rise out of the more considerate hushed tone he’s been using all morning. ‘ _Wake up_ , Akira.'

That does the trick, the boy rolling back over with another groan and swatting his hand away. ‘‘mawake.'

If he'd had any remaining doubts that Akira was not a morning person this would've been more than enough to dispel them. Though there's still something distinctly catlike and altogether more sensual in the way the boy stretches, even if it is accompanied by a wince.

Goro forces himself to look away, a little too interested in watching the way his back arches. ‘Sleep well?'

‘Great, thanks.’ Either not remembering or no longer caring about his earlier disappointment, Akira shifts onto his side and props himself up on one arm in order to better make eye contact. ‘You’re going to get sick if you stay, you know?'

That’s more like the Akira he knows, always trying to be selfless and put others’ needs first. Still, it feels less forceful than his earlier plea to stay, some of that unwelcome wall slipping back up between them. And Goro has no intention of failing another test. ‘I’m not leaving.'

Akira hums in response, eyes still fixed squarely on him as if he’s trying to puzzle him out. When the words finally do come they’re small but impossible to miss; ‘I’m glad.'

For what exactly? Goro is quite keenly curious to understand the full meaning behind the simple remark, assuming there even is any. But this is Akira, after all, and he very rarely says anything that doesn’t mean something.

Still, he can’t bring himself to ask, more afraid of the potential answer than he would like to admit. Instead, he lets the moment be, filing it away for further consideration later. ‘So am I.'

He’s glad for entirely the wrong reasons, Goro knows that full well, but in the privacy of his own head he can indulge himself just a little. He can admit to himself that he’s glad to see the warmth in those grey eyes, with no trace of that lingering wariness Akira has regarded him with ever since he blackmailed the Thieves. Much more reminiscent of how the other boy used to look at him on those quiet evenings they'd spent together in the cafe.

Ever since that first day in the television studio _something_ has drawn him towards Akira. Maybe - just this once - he’s lucky and it runs both ways. While their meetings have largely been facilitated on his part there have still been times when Akira has been the one to seek him out...

But that’s only important insomuch as it creates a vulnerability for him to exploit. The more that Akira feels for him the more it should blind him. Goro is still very much in control of this. It’s all just a means to his ultimate end.

Though that's considerably harder to remember when Akira's not even pretending not to stare at him. ‘You have lovely eyes.'

Evidently, Akira’s grip on lucidity is starting to slip again, but that doesn’t prevent the furious blush that darkens Goro’s cheeks. Of course, it’s just the fever talking. People say all sorts of strange things when they aren’t well.

Even though Akira has undeniably flirted with him in the past - and so he should really be used to hearing shit like this - something about this feels different. As if it is a completely unfiltered, honest thought.

Which is really not a path he needs to be going down. Bad enough without the suggestion that the chance for something more might be here. He definitely doesn’t need that temptation on top of everything else, not unless he wants to drive himself mad.

But, just to make matters worse, Akira doesn’t even have the decency to leave it there, adding; ‘And a really cute blush.'

It would be easier to protest if Goro's face wasn't in the process of turning even redder, though he sincerely doubts that it's a good look. Certainly not _cute_.

’The fever must be worse than I thought.'

Akira lets out an amused huff, clearly enjoying this far more than he really should. 'That was a compliment, you know.'

Oh, he knows what it was. Rather than admit that, though, Goro raises his defences further. It's not as if it really means what he wants it to anyway. ‘Save the flirting for when you’re not burning up.'

'Is that a promise?' His smirk only lasts a moment, though, morphing into a fresh grimace that he promptly tries to bury in his pillow.

While it might serve him right Goro only feels a slight bit of vindication. He just can't bring himself to take any sort of pleasure from the phantom thief's discomfort. So he doesn't protest when Akira's hand finds its way back to his. Though it's only really for the sake of making things easier.

-

Naturally, the fever seems to only intensify further over the course of the day. Waiting for it to burn itself out and break is far easier said than done. Especially when Akira keeps on making those small pained noises, frequently tightening his grip on Goro’s hand to the point of discomfort. Not that he makes any real attempt to pull it back, though, on the vague hope that it's helping.

He pretends that he prefers not having to deal with talking to Akira. At least this way he doesn’t have to put up with more of that fever-driven flirting.

Eventually, though, it - and Morgana’s more vocal worrying - gets to him and Goro decides to resort to desperate measures. Reluctantly - and with some minor difficulty - he manages to extricate his hand and gets back to his feet, taking the opportunity to stretch. Hours of being sat in that chair have not been kind to his muscles. Still, he’s hardly in a position to complain right now, all things considered.

Leaving the cat to keep watch, safe in the knowledge that Akira won’t be noticing his absence anytime soon, Goro heads back downstairs. His search is a little complicated by the fact that this isn’t meant to be a home, so there isn’t an obvious logical place to search. Still, after a bit of rooting around, he finds a suitable bowl in one of the kitchen cupboards and a clean washcloth.

He can’t entirely believe that he’s resorting to this. It’s only because the noises were starting to get on his nerves. That’s all. The sooner this fever breaks the better. The sooner he can get out of here and put this whole ordeal firmly behind him.

Just to be on the safe side he checks the advice again, wary of inadvertently making the situation worse. He’s not exactly used to this sort of role, beyond bandaging himself up on the rare occasion that a Shadow has managed to get a hit on him. There’s no shame in admitting that a real perk of being a part of the Phantom Thieves is that they have Personas capable of healing, even if that is somewhat balanced out by the fact that he gets in more fights with them than he would have on his own.

Morgana eyes the bowl of water suspiciously, as if he expects it to be dumped on him instead. ‘How’s that going to help?'

‘Something about regulating his temperature.’ He aims for an accurate but limited answer, still not in the mood to converse with the cat-creature, instead focusing on wringing out the cloth to get rid of any excess water. ‘It should help him sleep better.'

‘That’s very thoughtful of you, Akechi.’ Morgana certainly seems to have gotten over any initial reservations about him being the one here, a sure sign that this should go over well enough with the rest of the Thieves.

Soon enough that won’t matter, though, none of this will.

Akira's skin is still radiating heat, even though he continues to shiver under the duvet. It's probably better for him to be spending most of the day asleep, really. Gently, Goro presses the flannel to his forehead, not sure how much good it will do but hoping for the best all the same.

Judging from the contented little noise Akira makes he seems to appreciate it. Still, the chill of the wet cloth isn't enough to make him truly stir. Though that does at least mean that Goro can smile at the innocent display without fear of being called out.

Usually, he can only get away with looking for a matter of moments before Akira seems to sense his gaze and returns the favour, with the hint of a smirk. It's embarrassing, the number of times that he's been caught staring. Although there's always the chance of passing it off as something innocent, just a detective's habit, nothing more. What comes of the staring, though... That's one more secret he intends to keep.

But it is such a shame that Akira had to be so damn attractive. And warm-hearted and determined and simultaneously so willing to speak his mind yet easy to talk to. Even if he is stupidly stubborn and willing to drag himself around Tokyo rather than admit to being ill...

Why does he have to make this all so much harder?

Before he’d been sure that Akira was the one at the heart of the Phantom Thieves the thought had been there, that maybe he could’ve had this one thing for himself, beyond his vengeance. Goro had let himself think about it, even though he’d always known that there wasn’t much of a chance for anything more than a daydream. It probably says a lot about him that he’d only wanted harder the more he got to see of the other boy - even as the obvious signs came increasingly into focus.

Maybe… if they’d only met sooner...

Goro just needs to be more careful, that's all. A couple more weeks and none of it will matter anyway. He won't regret, he _won't_.

The chill of the water is starting to seep into his hands - fingers having instinctively clenched around the cloth - and he finds that a good enough excuse to decide that he's done enough for now. It's difficult to tell whether there has been any particular effect. He just has to hope that Akira's immune system is as stubborn as the rest of him, though it's hard to imagine otherwise.

‘You really do care about him, don't you?' Morgana seems to have spent almost as much time watching him today as he has Akira. Assessing him; it's unnerving.

While Goro doesn't answer his silence speaks for itself. Still, it wouldn't have been very diplomatic to deny it, even though he has the feeling that the cat-thing wasn’t really asking it to hear his response anyway.

Either not reading the mood or simply ignoring it, Morgana presses further; 'He really does like you too.'

Whatever the cat's trying here Goro doesn't like it. The atmosphere up here suddenly feels a lot more claustrophobic than before, almost making it hard to breathe. Fortunately, he has a perfectly good excuse to walk away from this conversation, though, picking up the bowl as if that was always his intention and promptly turning his back on the creature.

He isn't here to play mind-games. Not today, anyway.

-

By the time the last of the light starts to fade from the window Goro finds himself starting to doze off as well. It’s only natural, having spent so long in a room where the only other occupants are sleeping. Though, honestly, aside from the persistent shadow cast by Akira being unwell he’d be tempted to call the day something close to peaceful.

Well, the messaging of the other Thieves notwithstanding. While they had all at least heeded his warning for them not to put themselves in infection’s way that hadn’t stopped them feeling the need to check in via the chat over the course of the day. He briefly wonders what state they’ll all be in once Akira is gone but is fast to brush that thought aside.

Akira’s temperature does seem to be coming down a little by now, skin not feeling quite so hot to the touch. His sleep has settled down as well, for the time being at least, tossing and turning long since ceased as he lays curled up on his side. A couple more doses of aspirin and several glasses of water seem to have done the trick.

Honestly, Goro is almost inclined to say that his work here is all but done. Now that Akira seems to be through the worst of it he should be all right to look after himself. In fact, he’ll probably insist on it just as soon as he isn’t feeling quite so bad.

That said, he made a promise to stay, and really he doubts it would be looked upon favourably if he slipped out while Akira was still out for the count. Who knows what could happen if he was left alone, after all?

Still, perhaps he’d be better off sleeping as well, ignoring the fact that the chair had stopped being particularly comfortable some time ago. There’s no reason he has to leave, after all, no word of any kind from Shido and nothing else that urgently needs his attention.

So he readjusts his position for the umpteenth time, crossing his arms and letting his eyes close. While Goro has never had the knack for falling asleep that others seem to have he’s surprisingly worn out by today, even though it’s been little more than sitting around and fetching the occasional glass of water. It’s strange, he almost feels as exhausted as he does after a hard day’s work in the Metaverse. He really hopes that this isn’t the prelude to sickness that he’s afraid it is.

Even though the old building always seems to be making some kind of noise he’s gotten almost used to it over the course of the day. In fact, it’s almost calming now, like the sound of Akira’s more even breathing or the distant murmurs of people passing by on the street below...

A sudden sensation of falling jerks him back to alertness, the chair wobbling slightly as he sits bolt upright to compensate. The room is a lot darker than Goro remembers it being but he doesn’t feel particularly rested, if anything his neck feels stiffer than before. Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea after all.

‘That doesn’t look good for your back.’

He has a bad feeling that Akira has been awake for a little while longer than him, watching him because what much else is there for the bedridden boy do to otherwise. Although judging from the phone sitting beside his pillow he hasn’t been entirely unoccupied, probably catching up on some of his many messages even when he’s still supposed to be resting.

‘You’re not exactly in a position to be giving me health advice.’ It’s less of a snap than it could have been, Goro can’t really argue considering that he already knew as much yet still did it anyway.

‘More like common sense.'

‘So’s staying in bed when you have a fever.'

Akira has to concede that point, humming softly, although it’s rather doubtful whether he’s actually learnt his lesson from this or not. More likely not, _much_ more likely not. Still, while he promptly pushes himself up on an elbow he does at least have the sense to reach for the water. Possibly because that’s just a routine he’s had hammered into his head at this point.

Much as it’s become almost reflex for Goro to ask; ‘Feeling any better?'

‘A bit,' Akira makes a vague attempt at a shrug, movements still somewhat stiff. 'Less like I’m back in the desert.’

‘Desert?'

It takes him a moment to reply, hiding the pause behind another sip of water, almost as if he wasn't expecting the question. ‘Futaba’s Palace.’

Ah, Goro had been curious about the nature of the young hacker’s Palace, having not had the opportunity to see it for himself. Slightly surprising, but it does make a fair amount of sense considering the sense of isolation that Futaba must have been feeling.

None of them have ever really gone into much detail about their previous dealings with him before. Though he supposes that’s only natural, considering the fact that not so long ago he would’ve been expected to use that information against them. Still, he is curious to understand how someone could go from having a Palace to awakening to a Persona...

His musing is abruptly brought to an end, though, when the rustling if the sheets alerts him to Akira sliding his legs over the side of the bed. There is no way he’s recovered that much already, Goro’s hand instinctively landing on his shoulder to keep him down.

‘What do you think you're doing?'

While Akira averts his eyes almost guiltily his voice is still determined enough. ‘Going to the toilet.'

Oh, right. This… is an issue that they’d somehow managed to avoid until now. But, really, Akira is not in the sort of condition to manage the stairs by himself, no matter what he might say. Even if he does seem to have regained some of his strength there’s still a definite shakiness in the way he’s holding himself up.

Which only leaves one option... ‘Give me your arm then.'

The look that gets him is not exactly impressed, Akira's willingness to accept help already fading. 'I can manage.'

Goro has half a mind to just let him try it and fall flat on his face, just to let him prove himself wrong. It would be no less than he deserves. But he can't quite bring himself to do that, tightening his grip on Akira's shoulder. 'Stop being stubborn.'

That only makes Akira sigh, clearly not overly keen on this turn of events, but he doesn't pull away. Instead, he lets Goro take some of his weight, unsteadily pulling himself up off the bed. Naturally his legs seem to give way almost instantly, still lacking any particular strength even after several hours of rest.

'Damn it.'

His grip on Goro tightens reflexively, not quite proud enough to prefer hitting the floor. Evidently, he'd been expecting better of himself, that seems to be a habit of his. Which is probably why he doesn't try to sit back down, instead pulling himself back up as if Goro were nothing more than a glorified pole.

Resisting the urge for an _I told you so_ isn't easy but Goro valiantly refrains. He just has to settle for repositioning his hands in an effort to improve his support. 'You shouldn't push yourself so hard.'

If there's any protest it's a silent one, because he doubts that the message entirely goes in. Still, Akira doesn't make any attempts to slip out of his grip and make a break for the stairs, so that's one thing at least.

Rather than stand around all night, though, it would probably be a better idea to get this over and done with. Somehow he manages to get Akira across the room and down the stairs without any real incidents, stressful as tackling the entirely-too-dark stairs ends up being. It's not an experience he has any interest in repeating.

Once he's gotten Akira to the door of the toilet Goro loosens his hold, letting him lean some of his weight against the wall and swinging the door open for him. ’Try not to lock yourself in, I’d really rather not have to replace the door.’

Akira hesitates to step inside, though, raising an eyebrow. ‘You trust me in there alone?'

Not entirely. But right now he has to draw the line somewhere and this is it. His thoughts are bad enough without _seeing_ … 'Whatever happened to "I can manage"?'

That promptly shuts up any further argument, the other boy nodding and pulling the door shut behind him without another word. Thankfully there's no sound of the lock clicking into place, sparing Goro any worries over having to potentially try and knock it down. No immediate sound of a body hitting the floor either.

Leaning against the back of the nearest booth seat, Goro crosses his arms and waits. It's hard not to let his imagination wander, though, when he has to keep his ears pricked just in case. Not least because it feels like far too much time has passed - even though it can only have been a minute or two - before he hears the telltale rattling of the pipes.

Maybe it’s just the light - or relative lack thereof - but he’s fairly confident in saying that Akira looks a bit less pale when he reemerges. Although he still seems unsteady on his feet, keeping an arm braced against the doorframe.

Whatever Goro expects him to say after he gives him a very deliberate once over it isn’t what he gets. And he swears it’s another one of those _looks_ he’s being fixed with. ‘You took your shoes off.'

While it doesn't sound like an accusation it still sets him on edge. Which is ridiculous, because why wouldn't he have taken his shoes off considering how he's been sitting in Akira's room all day?

Trying to mask any defensiveness he smiles, abandoning his perch to cross the short distance between them. ‘A few hours ago, yes.'

‘Sorry I wasn't paying closer attention.’

Feeling abruptly on the spot for the fact that _he’s_ been staring far too much today, Goro glances away as if that will somehow balance it out. ‘So, you want to try getting up the stairs on your own?'

Of course, he makes a show of actually considering it. ‘Hmm, maybe not.'

To be fair, Goro hadn’t had any intention of letting him try it anyway. Adding a concussion on top of everything else would just be asking for trouble. He needs Akira to be in working order, after all.

This time it’s a bit of a smoother process, Akira willingly accepting his arm for support but taking care not to end up clinging to him again. It’s still slightly worrying how normal this is starting to seem, although getting back up the stairs is enough of a distraction for the moment.

Morgana is still sound asleep when he helps Akira back onto the bed, mercifully. For all of his earlier worry, the cat had easily taken to sleep once they’d established that his companion wasn’t in serious danger. At least he doesn’t have to worry about where he sleeps.

Honestly, Goro would be more inclined to try sleeping on the floor rather than braving another nap in that chair. There must be some manner of spare bedding around here somewhere, though he could always make do with using his jacket for a pillow. He's slept well enough under worse conditions.

That said, he supposes that the old sofa should do just as well. It looks marginally more padded than the wooden floorboards, even if it is rather narrow. Besides which, he's fairly confident in the fact that he would still hear it if Akira tried to make another attempt at getting out of bed on his own again. As long as he can catch even an hour or two of sleep then...

‘The trains haven’t stopped running yet.' Akira's small frown is illuminated by the glow of his phone, offering some hint of disappointment that the time isn’t later.

This again. If Goro didn’t know better he’d say that the other boy was trying to get rid of him. But he does know better, that this is more of that need to not rely on anyone else. And while his own bed _would_ undoubtedly be more comfortable than the old sofa that doesn’t mean he’s about to go back on his word.

Sitting back down on the edge of the bed, he puts a hand on Akira's forehead again by way of illustration. ‘And you’re not better yet.'

For a long moment they stare each other down, waiting to see who will back down first.

Although it is, inevitably, Akira who has to yield he doesn't seem defeated for long, if at all. Instead, he scoots over, patting the bed beside him with a sort of sly assurance. 'Then you should lie down. I hear a lack of sleep is bad for you.'

Of course, his brain is still clearly scrambled from the fever, it's not actually a serious suggestion. But it sends a rush of heat down Goro's spine all the same, bringing to mind too many guilty fantasies.

He tries not to let on that he's at all shaken by the proposal, furtively edging back. 'That's... not a good idea.'

Unconvinced, Akira tilts his head, as if he’s waiting for Goro to realise that he’s been backed into a corner. 'Like trying to sleep in that chair is?'

There's no denying that the boy has a point and he knows it. Still, Goro has already crossed far too many of his own lines today. Getting into bed with Akira - even though he's ill and nothing else is on the table - would amount to shooting himself in the foot. Again.

‘Don’t worry, I can sleep on the sofa.’ It doesn’t come out as quite as firm an insistence as he’d have liked, but at least his words didn’t rebel and make him relent instead.

‘If you say so...’ While Akira lets it go easily enough that doesn’t stop him from giving Goro's thigh a passing squeeze. 'Offer's always open if you change your mind.'

Maybe it's a little too obvious how quickly he retreats to the relative safety of the sofa, narrowly keeping himself from leaping off the bed. But he needs to put more distance between them, before he actually does change his mind. Because there would be a real danger in getting _that_ close and he is already far too involved for his own good.

Even though he clearly hears the sheets shifting as Akira settles back down the feel of eyes on his back doesn’t go away. Goro ignores it in favour of focusing on making his temporary bed slightly more comfortable, much as his instincts tell him not to. Nothing but trouble lies that way.

-

Goro is a fast waker - he always has been - so he barely feels any disorientation when he opens his eyes to see unfamiliar wooden beams overhead. He can’t say that he’s overly refreshed, though, neck slightly sore and limbs stiff from the restriction of trying to keep himself from falling onto the floor during the night. Akira definitely hadn’t been kidding about this being an uncomfortable place to sleep. Although it was still far from the worst night’s sleep he’s ever had.

Judging by the soft light streaming in through the window it seems as though he’s somehow managed to sleep through the entire night. After quietly fumbling for his phone he confirms as much, it’s not much earlier than he’d normally be getting up for the day. Not that he had any intention of lying on this sofa for any longer than he has to, anyway.

To his relief - and slight surprise - Akira is still right where he left him, safely curled under the duvet. Apparently, he’d managed to sleep through the rest of the night too, or at least hadn’t felt the need to try leaving the bed if he did. Hopefully that means his condition hasn’t worsened overnight.

Though if it had Goro is sure that Morgana wouldn’t have had any qualms about waking him up in search of help.

Still, it doesn’t hurt to check, so after one more stretch he pads across the floor, having learnt which floorboards to avoid stepping on. The cat is still curled up at the bottom of the bed like some sort of protective spirit, his ears twitching reflexively at the sound but making no signs of stirring.

Crouching down, rather than running the risk of sitting on the bed and waking them both, he takes a moment to examine the sleeping boy’s face. Definitely not quite as pale as before and, when he lightly presses his palm to Akira’s forehead, the skin is no longer clammy or boiling hot. Still undoubtedly warm but it’s a marked improvement.

Good.

Unbidden, he finds himself smiling at the peacefulness that Akira finally seems to have found. Though the sight only makes it clear how little he has ever seen the phantom thief truly relax, some trace of that mask of his always usually there. Not that Goro can judge, of course, he knows all too well about the strain of keeping oneself guarded against the rest of the world.

As much as he feels that now-familiar tug of kinship and loneliness and want staying here feels more and more like an intrusion. He should be going, for both their sakes. Before he lets this get any messier.

Distantly he hears the sound of a key rattling in a lock and moments later the telltale ringing of the bell over the cafe door. It’s not a surprise that Sojiro would turn up relatively early in order to get things set up for the day. That and he undoubtedly wants to check on his charge, deny it though he might. It’s enough to give Goro the final push to walk away. If Sojiro is here then he can keep an eye on Akira instead, that should be all he needs now that the worst of the fever seems to be over.

Still doing his best to be quiet, he pulls his jacket back on and tries to smooth the creases in his clothes. Hopefully it won't be too obvious that he slept in them but, either way, it’ll have to do until he gets back to his apartment to change.

It doesn't take long to remove all trace of himself from the room, as if he were never even here. Akira doesn't stir at all, apparently back to sleeping as deeply as normal. That makes things easier, not feeling the weight of those damn eyes on his back as he heads down the stairs.

Unsurprisingly, Sojiro has already busied himself in the kitchen, checking on yesterday's batch of curry with the intent absorption of someone who takes real pride in his craft. Even so, he looks up at the sound of Goro's footsteps, turning to him with a thoughtful sort of frown.

'Ah, so you stayed with him all night then?'

Evidently, though Goro refrains from saying as much, simply nodding instead. 'The fever seems to have broken but I think he still needs time to sleep it off.'

‘Not so much of a change from normal, then.' Some of the tension seems to leave Sojiro's shoulders, evidently relieved. 'Thanks for watching him, I'm sure he appreciates it.'

Maybe; assuming that Akira actually remembers any of it or if the fever haze will have kept it from sticking.

'Oh, it wasn't any trouble.' That’s only a bit of a lie, though he's perfected the polite tone to pass it off regardless.

Sojiro nods easily enough, gesturing towards his usual seat at the bar. 'You're welcome to stay for some breakfast.’

While the thought of a proper breakfast does sound good his mind is already made up. Now that Goro’s committed to leaving he doesn’t want to hang around. Even if Akira isn’t about to wake up of his own accord anytime soon there’s still a very real chance of Morgana catching up to him. And he’s had more than enough of that cat and his questions.

'Actually, I should really be going...'

If he sees through the weak excuse Sojiro doesn't challenge it, shrugging as he turns back to the pot. 'Alright, well consider your next coffee on the house.'

With a quick goodbye, Goro is out the door, although he does stop to close it softly behind him. Even if the chances of it disturbing Akira are almost nonexistent. That doesn't stop him heading for the station at a fast walk than he normally might, though.

His head already feels a little clearer thanks to the morning air, a distinct relief after the increasingly claustrophobic atmosphere of that attic. He only looks back at the darkened window once - twice - before turning onto the next street. No more worrying about that stupid boy now. None.

-

Mercifully, Goro ends up escaping the entire thing unscathed, in terms of avoiding coming down with the sickness at least. His thoughts remain in turmoil, however, as he struggles to stop himself thinking about soft skin and low groans and stupidly sincere grey eyes. So he makes sure to rather unambiguously avoid both Leblanc and its resident over the following days.

Might as well make a start on breaking those habits now, after all.

But - things being what they are - Goro couldn't avoid him indefinitely even if he really wanted to. His one consolation is that Akira at least waits a couple more days before deciding that they need to return to Sae’s Palace. There had been a fear that the idiot would try going before he had even had a proper chance to recover. At least Morgana must’ve gotten through to him this one time.

Still, he purposely drags his feet on the walk from the station, pointedly _not_ thinking about the last time he traced these steps. He hasn’t been missing Akira, not at all. Even if he still hasn’t gotten to the end of that page yet.

Naturally, the rest of the Thieves arrive before him, though that's not much of a change from the norm. Goro prefers to linger more at the sidelines anyway. They all know he isn’t a real part of this team so why pretend otherwise. Even if they do greet him pleasantly enough, a little more of that distrust having lifted.

Although he looks away just as quickly, a glance at Akira is enough to catch the almost shy smile he shoots his way. But other than that there isn’t any real shift in the phantom thief’s demeanour towards him. Almost as if the other day never really happened.

Disappointment is not what he feels. That’s exactly the outcome he wanted, after all.

In the end, it's not even a particularly long meeting, really more of a formality than anything. It seems almost pointless that they assembled here rather than simply heading straight for the courthouse, though he supposes they'd talked more before he arrived anyway.

‘All right, let’s go.’ This time there’s no waver in the way Akira gets back to his feet, as steady as he’s ever been. There’ll be no need for him to lean on anyone anytime soon.

Or ever again; as the treacherous voice in Goro’s mind reminds him.

Still, as the rest of the group begin to filter their way downstairs, a hand catches Goro's sleeve. Typically, Akira doesn’t explain himself straight away, simply tilting his head and waiting until the sound of feet on the stairs has faded.

It’s a little unsettling, Goro not being sure quite what to expect. Maybe an awkward question about why he’s been avoiding this place. Or maybe something worse. ‘Something wrong?'

Finally turning to face him properly, Akira rubs the back of his neck, his confidence tempered with nerves. ‘I never really got to thank you properly for the other day...'

That doesn’t allay his nerves, suddenly struggling to think of why he’d ever wanted the subject brought back up. ‘Oh, you don’t need to…'

With the sort of agility he should really expect from a phantom thief Akira’s hand is on his neck and the next thing he knows there are lips pressed against his.

It’s only a brief touch and Akira pulls away before Goro entirely has a chance to catch up to what just happened. This definitely can’t be written off as fever-induced madness. Not unless _he’s_ suddenly come down with something.

‘So… thanks.' There’s the hint of a blush on Akira’s cheeks, though he’s already turning to go after the others a little too quickly. Almost like he’s running away.

And if he thinks he can get away with acting like that was nothing then he’s got another thing coming. Not really stopping to let himself think about it beyond that, Goro catches his shoulder and drags him back into another kiss.

There’s a slightly undignified squeak, Akira’s turn to be caught off guard, but then he’s responding with an eagerness to rival Goro’s own. Hands tangle blindly in each other’s clothes, any space between them now entirely unwanted.

It’s better than he’d imagined, even if it’s slightly messier than he’d expected. Unlike that initial press of lips this is all heat, months of watching and wanting finding release.

But they both need to breathe, breaking apart reluctantly with ragged breaths and flushed cheeks. Except neither of them lets the other go just yet, one of Goro’s hands still tangled in Akira’s hair and one of the phantom thief’s legs hooked around his. He’s not sure either of them entirely knows what just happened.

Well, until Akira strokes his cheek with an entirely devilish smirk. ‘Cute blush.'

That only makes it worse, of course. Rather than irritating Goro, though, it only makes him feel warm inside, a softer feeling than the burning heat of the kiss. A feeling whose name he quickly pushes to the back of his mind, determined not to acknowledge it.

‘What’s taking you guys so long?!’ Ryuji's voice is loud, even from the bottom of the stairs; a cold return to reality.

Right. They’ve still got work to do, and the rest of the Phantom Thieves waiting downstairs. The thought gives him the extra motivation to untangle himself, stepping back a little too quickly at the horror of the idea of anyone else seeing them in this state. It saves him from thinking about how Akira is making him _feel_.

With a disappointed huff, Akira runs a hand through his hair - attempting to make it look less obviously messy - and shoots him an unfairly alluring smile. 'Maybe you should stay over again tonight.'

Not waiting for an answer, he saunters down the stairs as if he hasn’t just brought Goro’s world screeching to a halt. So sure of himself. So sure of what he wants.

So much for keeping his distance. Goro only really has himself to blame for getting himself into this position. He didn't have to kiss back like that. Except he really did because it was exactly what he’s been wanting for months now.

But still, the fact remains that in less than a fortnight Akira will be dead. A necessary sacrifice.

That doesn’t have to mean he can’t have this, though. He can control these feelings just like he's controlled all his others for so long. None of it has to _mean_ anything, it’s just a convenient opportunity to release some tension.

After one last check to make sure he doesn't look as ruffled as he feels, Goro hurries to catch up with the rest of the group. Hopefully, there will be plenty of opportunity to take some of this frustration out on some Shadows today, although he’s probably going to have to try even harder not to be caught staring at a certain phantom thief.

He has to admit, though, that kissing Akira is a habit he wishes he could have the chance to get used to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who left kudos or comments last time, it meant a lot to receive such a warm response. Hopefully, this was worth the wait ^^;


End file.
